If a client has a deficiency in balance, strength or flexibility, it will come out during the assessment. Mindel then recommends exercises designed to address the weakness.

"Once the screen is completed, the golfer is assigned a golf fitness handicap," he said. "Later, if you're re-screened and you've been doing your homework, your fitness handicap will improve and we can say, 'Look, you got better.'

"People need to see improvement. In the first screening, maybe they couldn't touch their toes and now they can. Well, your golf swing gets better because you're more flexible."

The student can watch video demonstrations of the exercises at mytpi.comand then do them at home, at his or her pace. The website has a video library of more than 1,400 exercises and drills.

The student also can take the assessment to a personal trainer or a TPI-certified fitness coach — there are several in southeastern Wisconsin — but Mindel knows from experience that many golfers won't go to those lengths.

"I've got a guy who is 87," Mindel said. "He's not going to go see a physical therapist....A big part of it is the ability to go online and do your conditioning and training program that way."

Founders Greg Rose and Dave Phillips developed the TPI program with input from a 52-member advisory staff. Since 2003, TPI has studied thousands of golfers ranging from PGA Tour pros — Menomonee Falls native Mark Wilson is a client — to recreational players of all abilities.

Mindel, one of more than 9,000 TPI-certified professionals in 57 countries, is the first to admit Titleist's motives are not purely altruistic.

"Titleist manufactures 42 million golf balls per month and they recognize that if people are injured and unable to play, they're not buying golf balls and it's going to affect the stock price," he said. "Flip it around and if the person is healthier, well, we all lose golf balls. Now they're buying more balls and Titleist likes that.

"They're more than happy to throw money at this thing."

Mindel had to attend a 2½-day seminar and pass a test to become certified. So far, he's done assessments on 62 golfers. The assessment costs $125.

"The philosophy from TPI, and I preach it day in and day out, is to create the athlete, then create the golfer, then the elite golfer and then the champion golfer," he said. "It begins with the assessment. Otherwise you're shooting darts blind."

Mindel said if a golfer has a problem with, say, shoulder flexibility, the problem will be there until he or she addresses it. Physical deficiencies don't improve through swing instruction or beating balls at the range.

"People will say, 'Intellectually, I understand the lesson,'" he said. "But physically, if their body can't do it they won't improve. So it's the instructor's responsibility, I believe, to make sure he or she is able to do it."

He added that even the top touring pros rarely pass all 16 assessments. Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy probably have minor physical deficiencies. The key is to address weaknesses and give the golfer tools to improve.